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This low-budget movie packs a maximum impact. The cast of no-names eliminates the predisposition to the glorification of war associated with many big name "war" actors. I have rarely seen a film about small-unit dynamics as well done. Every part is well-acted. Of interest are the relationships between the draftees, the enlisted lifer, and the opportunistic Lieutenant. The tension, confusion, and boredom of combat operations is captured in excruciating yet tender detail. The film conveys a good sense of the terrible waste of the Vietnam war. This movie is down, dirty, and real. If you are a war film buff, this one is a must see!

This movie is ultimately about a black African selling out to white colonialists. Not exactly the kind of part that you might expect Sidney Poitier to take on. Considering the year made (1957?) it may just have been that Sidney needed the work. In any case, he does a fine acting job as Obam, a newly elected representative. The same cannot be said for Eartha Kitt - who plays Obam's wife. In a sequence that seems rather out of place she sings her first hit song. A much better acting job is done by Clifton Macklin as Obam's revolutionary brother, Kanda. The tension between the two carries the movie through to it's rather sappy religious-tinged ending. If you are a Poitier fan, it's a must see.

Set in Angola, this story is about a white game farmer - Stan Brock as James Mallory - and his family. The plot involving his endeavors to rescue wildlife in a tenuous political situation is rather thin. Further strain arises from the weak relationships of the various characters. In particular, I can't figure out why Mallory's wife ever would have found him attractive - they seem to share nothing in common. Several of the sequences involving wildlife captures may offend those sensitive to the treatment of animals. Another problem area is the overuse of "comedic" animal scenes. Finally, portraying African people fighting for their own land as "terrorists" while glorifying white settlers is frankly racist. The African scenery shots are gorgeous and are the main redeeming element of this otherwise forgettable film.